Photo for Headline Surfer / Kaelee Morrell, a graduate of New Smyrna Beach High School, who was attending Daytona State College, was originally from Edgewater. She was killed in a motor vehicle in the 3200 block of eastbound State Road 44 as shown in the locator map. The other driver fled the scene.

By HENRY FREDERICK

Headline Surfer

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. -- Just 21 year's old, Kaelee Morrell of New Smyrna Beach had her whole life in front of her.

But all that ended in a bang at 2 this morning when she and another motorist crashed and left the roadway in the 3200 block of eastbound State Road 44.

Morrell, a former secretary and aftercare worker at Sacred Heart Catholic School, was treated at the scene, but a "short time later was pronounced deceased," Master Sgt. David Williams of the New Smyrna Beach Police patrol division told Headline Surfer in an email alert.

The other motorist behind the wheel of a black 2006 Chevy Tahoe fled the scene in what is being investigated as a fatal hit-and-run crash. His identity is not yet known and apparently, nobody got a tag number in the dark of the night.

Kaelee Morrell, a former secretary and aftercare worker at Sacred Heart Catholic School, was treated at the scene, but a "short time later was pronounced deceased," Master Sgt. David Williams of the New Smyrna Beach Police patrol division told Headline Surfer in an email alert.

The other motorist behind the wheel of a black 2006 Chevy Tahoe fled the scene in what is being investigated as a fatal hit-and-run crash. His identity is not yet known and apparently nobody got a tag number in the dark of the night.

Here is a synopsis of what occurred as described by Williams: Cops were dispatched to a 9-1-1 call of a crash with injuries while eastbound in which both vehicles left the roadway.

A passenger in Morrell's vehicle was transported to Halifax Hospital in Daytona Beach with minor injuries. Police did not say what kind of motor vehicle Morrell had been driving or release any details as to how and under what circumstances led to the deadly crash.

One or more occupants of the Tahoe didn't stick around, police said.

Morrell's last entry on her Facebook page four days ago indicated that she had started a new job as a hostess at the Half Wall in New Smyrna Beach.

Headline Surfer reached out to New Smyrna Beach Mayor Jim Hathaway for comment on the sad news and the ugly circumstances. Hathaway, who was in church with his wife, Paula, returned a text message a few minutes later, in which he said he and his wife were "deeply sorry to hear of this young lady's death," adding, "Our thoughts and prayers are with her family."

The mayor continued, "Hopefully, the driver that left the scene will get a conscience and turn himself in."

Headline Surfer reached out to New Smyrna Beach Mayor Jim Hathaway for comment on the sad news and the ugly circumstances. Hathaway, who was in church with his wife, Paula, returned a text message, in which he said he and his wife were "deeply sorry to hear of this young lady's death," adding, "Our thoughts and prayers are with her family."

The mayor continued, "Hopefully, the driver that left the scene will get a conscience and turn himself in."

Anyone with information on the deadly hit-and-run crash is asked to call motors officer William Schaeffer at the New Smyrna Beach Police Department at 386-424-2220 or email him at wschaeffer@cityofnsb.com.

Short Bio

Henry Frederick is publisher of Headline Surfer®, the award-winning 24/7 internet news outlet covering the Daytona Beach-Sanford-Orlando metro area via HeadlineSurfer.com for a decade now. A longtime cops & courts reporter focused on breaking news & investigative reporting, Frederick is among the Sunshine State's most prolific daily news reporters, having amassed dozens of journalism-industry awards in print anddigital platforms. Frederick is enrolled at Full Sail University in Winter Garden, FL, where he's three-fourths through the online Master of Arts program in New Media Journalism. His graduation is in August.